Ogba push case for leading Nigerian athletics

Submitted by Yomi Omogbeja on 7 May 2009 - 3:42pm

Former Delta State Sports Commissioner, Chief Solomon Ogba is banking on his enviable track record in athletics administration during his tenure,when he took Delta to the summit of sports in the country, to pave the way for his ascension to the presidency of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

Ogba will be representing the South-South zone on the new board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) at the elections into the sporting boards due to hold in Abuja next week.

Ogba told journalists at a press conference in Lagos that he has the magic wand to turn around the fortunes of the sport in Nigeria and he would not abandon the sports stakeholders that convinced him to run, even if he's pressured to step down by his party, but admitted that the race to the AFN job would not be easy as there are equally formidable persons on the board .

He said: "I know the sports in and out having presided over Delta State sports as both director of sports as well as commissioner. I also know the problems militating against the growth of track and field in the country and how to tackle them.

"I am no stranger to most of the top athletes representing the country at the moment. The Olusoji Fasubas, Damola Osayomis, Blessing Okagbares and several were my athletes and I know the personal effort I put into their careers and development.

"If I could devote time to see to their welfare and career growth, ordinarily, one should expect more from me when I take charge as president of the federation."

"What I have going for me is my credentials in sports. For me, it is not a do or die affair to become AFN president but fellow board members who know the implications of voting for someone who will come to be learning the ropes of the sport will not want that to happen to track and field we all want to revive and take back to where it should be in global track and field," he added.

At the event to lend their support to Ogba's candidacy were two former Nigerian Olympic Gold medalists in the 4x400 metres relay, former AFN's Techincal Director Sunday Bada and Enefiok Udo-Obong.

Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam who is representing the North Central zone on the board, former NSC deputy director Dr. Tijani Yusuf and the immediate past AFN president Violet Odogwu-Nwajei are also in the race for the presidency.